---
title: Course Types
description: Learn what Self-paced, Live class, Compliance, and Public course types do in Edvello and when to use each.
---

Course **type** is set in each course's **Settings**. It is easy to miss because the dropdown alone does not show every change. Types mainly affect admin navigation, compliance tracking, grading, and whether the course uses the normal enroll-and-LMS flow.

## Types at a glance

| Type           | Best for                         | Main differences                                           |
| -------------- | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Self-paced** | Default online courses           | Standard LMS; students progress at their own pace          |
| **Live class** | Instructor-led with grading      | **Marks** nav for grading exercises                        |
| **Compliance** | Required training with deadlines | **Compliance** dashboard, due dates, retakes, bulk actions |
| **Public**     | Open content without login       | Anonymous lesson access; no normal enrollment flow         |

## Self-paced

**Self-paced** is the default. Students enroll, open lessons in the LMS, and complete exercises on their schedule. Auto-grading applies to many exercise types in self-paced and compliance courses.

Use self-paced for standard training, onboarding content, and evergreen material.

## Live class

**Live class** adds instructor grading workflows. Admins and tutors see a **Marks** section in the course sidebar to review and grade student work.

Use live class when an instructor scores assignments and you need a dedicated grading view. To schedule sessions with a
join link, automatic reminders, and a calendar invite, see [Run a Live Class](/create-and-deliver/live-class).

## Compliance

**Compliance** turns on compliance-specific tooling:

- **Compliance** nav in the course sidebar
- Passing scores, due dates, and retake rules
- Bulk actions on student status
- Completion tracking (including **not started** before a student opens content)
- Certificate rules tied to compliance settings

Use compliance for mandatory training where you must track who completed requirements by a deadline.

:::info[Compliance status vs People membership]
A student can appear in **People** as soon as they enroll while still showing **not started** on the Compliance dashboard. Membership and completion status are separate.
:::

## Public

**Public** courses skip the normal enroll-and-LMS path. Visitors can access lesson content anonymously. The landing page routes toward lesson content rather than a **Join course** flow.

Use public when you want open educational content without requiring accounts. Public courses are not a substitute for private cohort enrollment.

:::warning[Changing type on an existing course]
Switching type after launch can change which sidebar items appear and how completion is tracked. Pick the type that matches your delivery model before students enroll when possible.
:::

## Why types can feel identical in Settings

If you only flip the type dropdown, the course title and content look the same. The differences show up in:

- Which sidebar items appear (**Marks**, **Compliance**)
- How exercises are graded
- Whether anonymous public access is used
- How completion and certificates are evaluated

Open the course sidebar after changing type to confirm the right tools are available.

## Related guides

- [Course](/reference/course) — course overview and admin areas
- [Run a Live Class](/create-and-deliver/live-class): schedule sessions, reminders, and calendar invites
- [Control Course Progression](/create-and-deliver/course-progression): sequential learning and completion rules
- [How Course Enrollment Works](/manage-students/course-enrollment) — enrollment (not used for Public in the same way)
- [Student Dashboard](/reference/student-dashboard) — student LMS views
- [Create Your First Course](/get-started/create-first-course)